A few months ago I received a gift of one bottle of Charlevois’s Dominus Vobiscum Brut.As part of my cellar cleaning project, I decided to open it and see what I found. Before engaging the review directly, I thought I should offer some background on the beer. Charlevoix is a creative craft brewer from outside Quebec City. They are best known for their Vache Folle series as well as their highly regarded Dominus Vobiscum series of Belgian-style ales.

This particular beer was designed differently than their others. They suggest they brewed it in accordance with the methode champegnoise (or what they all methode Charlevoix), which is the traditional champagne making method. The process consists of allowing a secondary fermentation in the bottle (this is not unusual for Belgian-styles – and homebrew). However for Brut, the bottle is charged with champagne yeast. The bottles are then stored upside-down(ish) – called riddling – to allow the sediment (lees) to settle in the neck. After appropriate aging, the neck is frozen and the bottle opened. The internal pressure forces out the frozen plug of sediment. The bottle is quickly corked, to preserve carbonation. This may not be exactly how the folks at Charlevoix did it, but I trust it is pretty similar.

There are a few beer available that use this method, but they are fairly rare. To the best of my knowledge this is the first effort at a Brut in Canada. So kudos to them! And what did the beer taste like? Well, it poured a light gold with a massive white, rocky and bubbly head. The carbonation level is very high, much higher than most beer. The aroma gives off honey, lemon, citrus, some earthiness and funky spices including pepper and cloves. I also pick up a sharp carbon dioxide bite, even in the aroma.

The sipping parallels the aroma. I find honey, lemon, pepper, earth, vanilla and a number of other flavours. It also has a funky musty character balanced by a sharp carbon bite. It is fruity like white grape, pear and citrus and finishes sweet and complex. DV Brut is a complex, rich, sharp beer. It has a number of layers interwoven into its beer base. I find the carbonation a bit intense and somewhat distracting, but that is likely my problem as Bruts are supposed to be highly carbonated.

This is a wonderful special occasion beer – I am sorry I didn’t wait until New Year’s Eve to try it. Not sure I would crack one open while watching a hockey game, but that is what makes the world of beer so wonderful. There is one for every occasion.